Photoshop is a powerful program with many tools and functions. But sometimes that functionality falls flat.
It’s easy to waste hours struggling to find the perfect color palette and organizing your layers into the perfect structures. And don’t even get me started on how long it takes to sift through brush collections.
Luckily some creative minds have built PS plugins to solve every problem you could imagine.
Even if you only use one of these plugins it can still help to streamline your artistic process. Saving time on menial tasks means you can focus more on what really counts—your artwork.
1. Coolorus
Coolorus is the color wheel plugin of your dreams.
Fontself Maker for Photoshop CC. There are many free fonts available online but many designers (and their clients) prefer to have a unique and original typeface for their project. If you want to create your own fonts, Fontself Maker for Photoshop CC is a plugin worth checking out. Fontself works with both Photoshop and Illustrator CC. Alchemist helps plugin developers to develop new plugins. It provides an event listener for recording actions and an inspector for reading Photoshop's internal properties and its values. It also generates code. Plugin tech.: UXP. PS support: PS 2021+ (Win10 & Mac) CPU support: ARM, M1, Intel. The touch of an artist is incredible, it takes years to master that craft and it isn’t, unfortunately, possible for everyone to be an artist. However, you can be with Portraiture Plug-in for Adobe.
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- Download a plugin. Plugins are commonly free to download and install; just search the Internet for them. You can choose from a list of plugins at this site.
The plugin boosts your speed and consistency when choosing colors and even saves your color-picking history on the fly. The UI is simple to understand and exceptionally responsive to fast color picking.
If you struggle with color consistency and harmony use Gamut lock and the Color Mixer features to keep your artwork on track.
They lock the range of colors you can choose from, keeping your palette consistent.
Mix your colors to create new shades with the Color Mixer and collaborate with others by saving and sharing your project’s palette.
Deceptively simple, this plugin has a minor learning curve and will get you choosing better colors instantly. The sleek UI is a major selling point and Coolorus’s functionality will support you in choosing the best colors for your artwork.
2. BrushBox
Have you ever download a bunch of beautiful new brushes only to spend the next two hours trying to find the right one?
It’s no secret that Photoshop’s Brush Preset Manager is lacking in organizational capabilities. And it’s easy to waste precious time sifting through your brush collection for an old favorite.
That’s where BrushBox comes to the rescue! It has the brush management power that you’ve been searching for.
You can organize your brushes into labeled groups that are color coded for easy identification.
Custom tag your favorite brushes so you can find them later with a quick search. If you find yourself using one brush in the same way over and over again, you can change its preset settings too and even predefine its color.
Quick, light on resources, and super easy to use, BrushBox is perfect if you are looking for a little more simplicity in your digital painting.
3. Renamy
If you often wind up with complicated, messy projects, Renamy is the perfect plugin for you.
It’s a layer organization tool with an impressive renaming and tagging system.
Renamy’s flagship feature is the selection and renaming of multiple layers in a single click. After the rename is complete it records the name you used as a tag, making it easy to find those layers at a later time.
Exceptionally useful in large projects with over 20 layers, the Find and Replace function can quickly rename in batches.
For example you can tell Renamy to find all the ‘red’ names and replace them with ‘blue’.
Renamy requires you to use a little bit of basic coding with their own language but it is quick to pick up and easy to remember.
Take a look at their FAQ page to learn about the commands they use and keep it saved as a cheat sheet!
4. MagicPicker
MagicPicker is similar to the Coolorus plugin(#1 on this list) and serves as an improvement for your color wheel.
It’s beyond simple to use and comes with some added functionality and smart keyboard shortcuts.
The color wheel can be displayed in a LUT cube or a traditional color wheel. The UI is smooth and well-optimized, scaling almost instantly when you made the panel bigger.
If you enjoy painting with color schemes then MagicPicker gives you the option to choose locked Mono, Complementary, Triad, and other similar schemes.
To further limit erratic color choices you can enable Gamut Lock, limiting your color options to a warm or cold gamut.
For those who intend on printing their work, K-Lock locks the K value of CMYK projects ensuring printed colors are vivid and accurate.
This plugin can be installed in both Photoshop and Illustrator making it even more versatile than other options.
5. MagicSquire
Like BrushBox, MagicSquire allows you to organize your brushes into basic color-coded groups for easy selection.
However the true power of MagicSquire lies in its detailed brush saving and preset settings.
When you save a brush you’ll see four auto-generated previews which you can choose from.
In addition, you can set which features you’d like to save—color, size, jitter, opacity, and more.
For something more unusual you can change the visualization to horizontal mode—a unique way to see how your brush will react when drawing horizontal lines.
The UI is simple and user friendly making it quick to learn.
Just watch the main video tutorial and you’ll be organizing brushes, making brushes, and creating artwork faster than ever before.
6. Color Constructor
The Color Constructor takes the guesswork out of choosing your palette. It taps into powerful 3D visualization tools and instantly gives you a realistic palette to work from depending on your color source.
Simply pick the light source color and the shadow color for the scene you are painting.
Then you can choose up to four base colors and get instant shading results according to your lighting system. Next screenshot the result, copy it to Photoshop, and you’re ready to start painting with an accurate color palette.
The plugin requires no 3D knowledge and is simple to use.
You can repeat the process as many times as you want to create detailed scenes with multiple light sources.
Tap into the power of 3D lighting systems without ever having to open a time-consuming 3D program. If you want more details watch this video to see how well it works in action.
7. Prisma Palette
By using the Prisma Palette plugin you can automatically calculate the colors of your scene based on light and shadow.
It does not give you a pre-visualization but instead adjusts the color of your brush according to the lights you have.
Right off the bat you can choose your ambient color and then a light color and begin painting with your base. It works with algorithms so the whole process may feel a little clunky at first, but you’ll get used to it with some experimentation.
The plugin is still in the Beta stage and the creator is busy creating detailed tutorials, but it’s still a worthwhile investment if you want to find out more about color theory.
Watch this brief tutorial to see how it works and why it can help introduce a more realistic color palette to your artwork.
8. The Animator’s Toolbar
Animating in Photoshop is a frustrating and time-consuming task.
A simple project can quickly turn into a confusing mess of layers. PS drawing tools are superb, but the lack of timeline management leaves animators pulling their hair out.
The Animator’s Toolbar speedily organizes the chaos with tools that can move, duplicate, order, label, and merge layers on one timeline.
Plugins Photoshop Cc 2020
The most powerful feature of this plugin is its ability to process multiple layers simultaneously while speeding up your workflow.
The Animator’s Toolbar contains a separate toolbar that has many of the features you expect in other 2D animation programs. You can create holds, introduce new video layer groups, and reverse the timing on selected layers.
If you are a serious animator looking to create frame-by-frame animations directly in Photoshop, this is a must-have plugin.
9. AnimDessin2
This plugin is completely free and is perfect if you want to explore your animation options within Photoshop.
Like The Animator’s Toolbar plugin, you can use AnimDessin2 to simplify the animation process within Photoshop.
The plugin is a bare-bones operation and sets you up with a timeline panel and the ability to choose the duration of the key frame for each layer.
You can then quickly playback your project to see the results.
AnimDessin2 is great for beginners looking to try their hand at frame-by-frame animation. But it might be too simple for artists used to more functionality.
10. Brutus Symmetry
This fun symmetry plugin comes packed with smooth functionality and intelligent tools.
Although the tools seem simple at first, the ability to quickly mirror/reflect and rotate will soon become part of your everyday design process.
For rapid-fire character designs and brainstorming sessions you just set up horizontal and vertical guides that instantly mirror your brush strokes. You can move the guides as you go, quickly changing the look and feel of your work.
Brutus doesn’t limit you to guides though.
It also works with selection areas. Select what you want to reflect and click on one of the many tool options for instant results.
For some wacky, addictive designs you should play around with the kaleidoscope feature.
This plugin is as fun as it is useful!
11. ParticleShop
ParticleShop is one of those cool plugins that both beginners and experts will love. It creates realistic particles with your every stroke and breathes life into your images.
The plugin comes with 11 default brushes helping you paint everything from smoke to disintegration effects.
It is the perfect tool for any artist that uses heavy particle effects like superhero power blasts or swirling fiery embers. Many use this plugin to augment photos and turn them into stylized works of art.
If the included brushes don’t meet your needs you can always make your own or download an additional brush pack. The brushes are easy to use and you can find an extensive video library of all brushes right here.
If you want smoke, epic energy blasts, or fairy dust, ParticleShop is the spark you’ve been looking for.
Also note: ParticleShop is compatible with Adobe Photoshop, CorelDRAW, and a variety of similar graphics editing programs.
12. Perspective Tools
Perspective Tools is a fantastic plugin useful to artists who use basic 3D renders as a base. It’s also great for anyone who does technical matte painting.
Basically it’s used for placing 2D textures in the correct 3D perspective.
By using the pen tool you can create a perspective grid with one, two, or three axes.
On the grid draw a shape—most commonly an open square. Then snap a 2D smart layer to the path points.
The smart layer remains editable and can be changed at any time. This is useful for operations like placing a poster on a wall or a sticker on a box.
One impressive and particularly unique tool in this plugin is called de-perspective.
After you select an area with the pen tool and hit de-perspective, the software tries to calculate what the flat, unwrapped texture would look like. You can then edit the smart layer containing the unwrapped texture and have it automatically update the 3D output. Pretty cool!
This plugin does require a basic understanding of perspective and the principles of 3D. When used correctly it’s a handy tool that speeds up operations that used to require time-consuming warp-mesh edits.
Perspective Tools takes a little getting used to at first. But watching the preview video and reading the documentation will give you a good head start.
Related Posts:
- January 03, 2021
- 23 min to read
Photoshop boasts countless different possibilities - no wonder it’s an all-time favorite tool amongst designers and photographers. Though, to unleash the full potential of Photoshop, you might need some extra help… This is where plug-ins fit into the picture. The following are 22 of the best plug-ins, in no particular order, that you need to add to your to-download list today.
1. Luminar 4
If you often work with raw photos, Luminar 4 is a plug-in that you’d find rather helpful. With the help of AI and preset effects, it makes editing jobs like object removal and masking significantly easier. It’s available for both Lightroom as well as Photoshop.
2. Photolemur 3If you’re using Photoshop CS5 or higher, you’ll love the Photoleumr 3 plug-in. This automatic photo editor uses AI to make your photos pop. Why do all the hard work, when there’s a plug-in that was created for this job? From recovering color to correcting your exposure, Photolemur 3 will make your photos just as magical as your special moments.
3. RH Hover Color Picker
The RH Hover Color Picker is ideal for designers and artists who want better color control. Published by Rico Holmes, this plug-in boasts color sliders that you can customize giving you much better control. It’s definitely better looking and less awkward than the color picker offered by Photoshop.
4. Double Exposure Photoshop Plugins
For something more unusual you can change the visualization to horizontal mode—a unique way to see how your brush will react when drawing horizontal lines.
The UI is simple and user friendly making it quick to learn.
Just watch the main video tutorial and you’ll be organizing brushes, making brushes, and creating artwork faster than ever before.
6. Color Constructor
The Color Constructor takes the guesswork out of choosing your palette. It taps into powerful 3D visualization tools and instantly gives you a realistic palette to work from depending on your color source.
Simply pick the light source color and the shadow color for the scene you are painting.
Then you can choose up to four base colors and get instant shading results according to your lighting system. Next screenshot the result, copy it to Photoshop, and you’re ready to start painting with an accurate color palette.
The plugin requires no 3D knowledge and is simple to use.
You can repeat the process as many times as you want to create detailed scenes with multiple light sources.
Tap into the power of 3D lighting systems without ever having to open a time-consuming 3D program. If you want more details watch this video to see how well it works in action.
7. Prisma Palette
By using the Prisma Palette plugin you can automatically calculate the colors of your scene based on light and shadow.
It does not give you a pre-visualization but instead adjusts the color of your brush according to the lights you have.
Right off the bat you can choose your ambient color and then a light color and begin painting with your base. It works with algorithms so the whole process may feel a little clunky at first, but you’ll get used to it with some experimentation.
The plugin is still in the Beta stage and the creator is busy creating detailed tutorials, but it’s still a worthwhile investment if you want to find out more about color theory.
Watch this brief tutorial to see how it works and why it can help introduce a more realistic color palette to your artwork.
8. The Animator’s Toolbar
Animating in Photoshop is a frustrating and time-consuming task.
A simple project can quickly turn into a confusing mess of layers. PS drawing tools are superb, but the lack of timeline management leaves animators pulling their hair out.
The Animator’s Toolbar speedily organizes the chaos with tools that can move, duplicate, order, label, and merge layers on one timeline.
Plugins Photoshop Cc 2020
The most powerful feature of this plugin is its ability to process multiple layers simultaneously while speeding up your workflow.
The Animator’s Toolbar contains a separate toolbar that has many of the features you expect in other 2D animation programs. You can create holds, introduce new video layer groups, and reverse the timing on selected layers.
If you are a serious animator looking to create frame-by-frame animations directly in Photoshop, this is a must-have plugin.
9. AnimDessin2
This plugin is completely free and is perfect if you want to explore your animation options within Photoshop.
Like The Animator’s Toolbar plugin, you can use AnimDessin2 to simplify the animation process within Photoshop.
The plugin is a bare-bones operation and sets you up with a timeline panel and the ability to choose the duration of the key frame for each layer.
You can then quickly playback your project to see the results.
AnimDessin2 is great for beginners looking to try their hand at frame-by-frame animation. But it might be too simple for artists used to more functionality.
10. Brutus Symmetry
This fun symmetry plugin comes packed with smooth functionality and intelligent tools.
Although the tools seem simple at first, the ability to quickly mirror/reflect and rotate will soon become part of your everyday design process.
For rapid-fire character designs and brainstorming sessions you just set up horizontal and vertical guides that instantly mirror your brush strokes. You can move the guides as you go, quickly changing the look and feel of your work.
Brutus doesn’t limit you to guides though.
It also works with selection areas. Select what you want to reflect and click on one of the many tool options for instant results.
For some wacky, addictive designs you should play around with the kaleidoscope feature.
This plugin is as fun as it is useful!
11. ParticleShop
ParticleShop is one of those cool plugins that both beginners and experts will love. It creates realistic particles with your every stroke and breathes life into your images.
The plugin comes with 11 default brushes helping you paint everything from smoke to disintegration effects.
It is the perfect tool for any artist that uses heavy particle effects like superhero power blasts or swirling fiery embers. Many use this plugin to augment photos and turn them into stylized works of art.
If the included brushes don’t meet your needs you can always make your own or download an additional brush pack. The brushes are easy to use and you can find an extensive video library of all brushes right here.
If you want smoke, epic energy blasts, or fairy dust, ParticleShop is the spark you’ve been looking for.
Also note: ParticleShop is compatible with Adobe Photoshop, CorelDRAW, and a variety of similar graphics editing programs.
12. Perspective Tools
Perspective Tools is a fantastic plugin useful to artists who use basic 3D renders as a base. It’s also great for anyone who does technical matte painting.
Basically it’s used for placing 2D textures in the correct 3D perspective.
By using the pen tool you can create a perspective grid with one, two, or three axes.
On the grid draw a shape—most commonly an open square. Then snap a 2D smart layer to the path points.
The smart layer remains editable and can be changed at any time. This is useful for operations like placing a poster on a wall or a sticker on a box.
One impressive and particularly unique tool in this plugin is called de-perspective.
After you select an area with the pen tool and hit de-perspective, the software tries to calculate what the flat, unwrapped texture would look like. You can then edit the smart layer containing the unwrapped texture and have it automatically update the 3D output. Pretty cool!
This plugin does require a basic understanding of perspective and the principles of 3D. When used correctly it’s a handy tool that speeds up operations that used to require time-consuming warp-mesh edits.
Perspective Tools takes a little getting used to at first. But watching the preview video and reading the documentation will give you a good head start.
Related Posts:
- January 03, 2021
- 23 min to read
Photoshop boasts countless different possibilities - no wonder it’s an all-time favorite tool amongst designers and photographers. Though, to unleash the full potential of Photoshop, you might need some extra help… This is where plug-ins fit into the picture. The following are 22 of the best plug-ins, in no particular order, that you need to add to your to-download list today.
1. Luminar 4
If you often work with raw photos, Luminar 4 is a plug-in that you’d find rather helpful. With the help of AI and preset effects, it makes editing jobs like object removal and masking significantly easier. It’s available for both Lightroom as well as Photoshop.
2. Photolemur 3If you’re using Photoshop CS5 or higher, you’ll love the Photoleumr 3 plug-in. This automatic photo editor uses AI to make your photos pop. Why do all the hard work, when there’s a plug-in that was created for this job? From recovering color to correcting your exposure, Photolemur 3 will make your photos just as magical as your special moments.
3. RH Hover Color Picker
The RH Hover Color Picker is ideal for designers and artists who want better color control. Published by Rico Holmes, this plug-in boasts color sliders that you can customize giving you much better control. It’s definitely better looking and less awkward than the color picker offered by Photoshop.
4. Double Exposure Photoshop Plugins
If you want to transform your ordinary photo into the one with the Double Exposure effect, you should have a closer look at this universal bundle consisting of 26 cool actions. There are tools producing Color Double Exposure, Dispersion, Splashes, Silhouette and Advanced Double Exposure effects in a matter of seconds. To get even more flexibility while editing your pictures, you can use any of 13 Photoshop brushes included in the pack. The cost is reduced to $50.
5. Texture Anarchy
If need to include rich textures into your designs, Texture Anarchy will help you to get the job done. In addition to the wide range of filters that you can use for your designs, it also enables you to create fractals.
6. ALCE 3
Photographers will love this easy-to-use plug-in. With the help of ALCE 3, you can add more depth to your photos by enhancing the contrast. What makes it so great is that it’s much easier to use than Photoshop’s unsharp mask filter.
7. GuideGuide
Designers who often make use of grids when they’re creating layouts will find the GuideGuide plug-in oh-so-useful. It allows you to save your preferences which means that you will save loads of precious time whenever you want to access it again. In addition to enabling you to create extremely accurate grids, you can also use negative margins with the help of GuideGuide.
8. Low Poly Photoshop Plugins
To make viewers look at your photos again and again, you need to give them an unusual feel. With this idea in mind, FixThePhoto has created a new collection of Low Poly Photoshop actions and supplemented them with 3 brushes and 5 nice-looking patterns. You can get all these tools just for $24.
9. Blow Up 3
Blow Up 3 will blow your mind. Thanks to this practical plug-in, you can create piercing sharp enlargements. As a matter of fact, the algorithm that this plug-in uses is better than the filters that Photoshop boasts. Next time that your client emails you a low-resolution photo, Blow Up 3 will see to it that your project will not be blown off course.
10. SuperPNG
If you work with PNG files often but don’t have access to the latest version of Photoshop yet, you’ll love the SuperPNG plugin. With the help of this plug-in, you can gain better control over the exporting process. Battling to render your PNG files will be a thing of the past!
11. 3D Invigorator
Let’s face it, the 3D process can be challenging, even for experienced designers. Though with 3D Invigorator in your arsenal of design tools, you can create 3D elements and polished final renders without breaking a sweat. This Photoshop plug-in boasts an easy-to-use object editor that will make it a lot easier to draw and edit your shapes.
12. ParticleShop
Thanks to the ParticleShop plug-in for Photoshop, you can now play around with Corel Painter tools. From fabric to fur, ParticleShop boasts over 10 brushes! These brushes will boost your productivity and help you to take your creativity to the next level.
13. Machine Wash Deluxe
Machine Wash Deluxe is definitely no washout! With the help of this Photoshop plug-in, you can add a realistic scratchy weathering effect to images. It works especially well with typography. So, if you want to add an attractive aging effect to design, this is the tool for the job.
14. B&W Effects
If you’re serious about digital photography, B&W Effects is an essential plug-in. What makes this plug-in so great is that it lets you create black and white photos that really stand out. Thanks to its conversion engine, you can transform your colored photos into magnificent monochrome pics that have just the right texture and tone.
Plugins For Photoshop Cc 2020 Free Download
15. Dream Suite Ultimate
Dream Suite Ultimate is one of the most comprehensive plug-ins for Photoshop that’s available on the market. It boasts an impressive range of effects that include borders, textures and tonal correction to mention only a few. What makes this plug-in so great is that it gives you access to many options in a single plug-in which means that don’t have to buy countless different plug-ins.
16. Texture Tools Industrial
If you’re in need of a metal texture to magnify your photo, the Texture Tools Industrial Photoshop plug-in offers everything that you’ll need. With 50 metal textures on offer, designers and artists can first put the metallic filters to the test before reaching for their credit card. What’s more, the plug-in also allows you to manipulate the texture so that it fits your photos.
17. Shutterstock
Designers who regularly have to work with Shutterstock can make their workflow more efficient with the help of the Shutterstock plug-in. In short, it offers you direct access to the countless stock images that the Shutterstock library boasts. This means that while you’re working inside of Photoshop, you can quickly search Shutterstock’s complete library, select and insert. Voila!
18. Watercolor Painter Plugins
Those inspired by watercolor paintings, will definitely appreciate this bundle designed by professionals. It includes 3 watercolor Photoshop actions, 14 brushes and 3 patterns aimed at giving your photos that specific look and mood. These actions are compatible with all Ps versions and cost only $35.
19. PageCurl 2
Although the functionality of this plug-in is very limited, what it does it can do brilliantly. It’s ideal for graphic designers who need to create a realistic fold and page-turn effects. So, if you regularly work with ebooks, get PageCurl 2 to promote your page-turner.
20. FlatIcon
If you need access to a large database of free vector icons, FlatIcon will make sure that your designs will not fall flat. With the help of this Photoshop plug-in, you can search for icons within Photoshop that you can download in different formats including PNG, SVG, and PSD.
21. Eye Candy
Published by Alien Skin, Eye Candy is a well-known plug-in among Photoshop users. It boasts a really impressive collection of effects which you’ll find quite handy for plenty of projects. If you find that the effect is too obvious and boring, just fiddle with the default settings to create a better effect. This plug-in might just be a lifesaver next time that you’re battling with a tight deadline.
22. Subtle Patterns
Another great plug-in that will save you a lot of time is Subtle Patterns. By adding Subtle Patterns to your plug-in list, you get access to a library of tileable, textured patterns. It’s oh-so-convenient to use as you simply click on the thumbnail of the pattern that you want to use and it will be applied to the layer that you’re currently working on.
23. Portraiture
Calling all portrait photographers! If you’re searching for a plug-in that can help you to smooth skin tone and remove imperfections without removing skin texture altogether, this is the tool just for you. What makes this plug-in so great is that it’s compatible with Aperture, Photoshop as well as Lightroom.
24. Fixel Edgehancer
Fixel Edgehancer is the perfect plug-in for those who are just starting to use Photoshop. In short, it’s a quick way to emphasize the edges without increasing the surrounding pixels’ contrast.
With the help of these popular plug-ins, you’ll be able to turn Photoshop into an even more powerful tool. So, which one of these 22 plug-ins will become your favorite new tool?
